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photography

Pt4 The land in Peru held all kinds of surprises, from incredibly delicious passions fruits, to crazy unique landscapes and ingenious methods of agriculture – some ancient, some still running as family businesses… oh and some pretty cool animals!

This little guy is a baby spectacled bear! Never thought I’d see a wild bear with my own eyes, it really was an awesome moment, and not just because we’d reached the top of a mountain!

I always take as many camera’s away with me as I can fit in my bags. (Unless of course I forget altogether see my last post for the results of that!)
This post will compare digital images with polaroids taken whilst in Copenhagen in March.
The digital camera I took with me is the Lumix DMC-LX100. I enjoyed the ease of my little compact digital camera light weight and quick, it’s got a great lens for such a tiny camera.

I used it as a point and shoot, the display screen off, I think I do this to make myself feel more like i’m still using a film camera.
There is something precious about relying on your eye in the moment, and not knowing exactly what you’ve got as your final product.

Photography is all about the edit, but it’s nice to spend your time and patience thinking about the photograph your trying to take in that moment, rather than taking 40 of the same shot just because you can.

I also took along my polaroid camera which is my pride and joy, far more bulky and awkward to carry but so worth it. Made all the more beautiful some white framed circle aperture film from Impossible project. Just dreamy! There’s very little control with a polaroid, the model I use does have light and distance settings though i’m not 100% they actually work! It is the simplicity of a polaroid that is what I find so magical and I think is the reason it can produce some really unique images.

I think my preference is clear i’m polaroid all the way… for it’s charm and simplicity.

As you might have guessed from the title, I went to a very beautiful little seaside village in Wales but forgot my cameras, that horrible realisation that I’d left my specially selected cameras on the side at home was something I didn’t stop going on about.

However I had to make do with my truly terrible old camera phone, whilst in my head trying to treat it like a lovely old manual camera (with absolutely no settings) and see the challenge in it.

Here are the results.

As tempting as it was none of these are edited in photoshop to show the true results of what I was working with.
I’d not do this again on purpose but I am pleased with the final results and I will definitely have to go back with a good camera!

I was visiting a friend in Paris when the verdict of the EU referendum was announced (Don’t worry I did my postal vote weeks before).

Feeling completely mortified by what had happened we walked the beautiful streets of Paris. A sense of loss or mourning struck me as we walked around, looking at streets that perhaps my own children will not be so free to step on.

With this sadness came appreciation, even if it is now only for the next two years, appreciation for what we have, the freedom to visit such beautiful cities and cultures with such ease.

I can’t know that those that voted leave will or won’t regret the choice they made, but I can know that I will try my best to stay optimistic and hopeful, that us 48% remainers won’t forget our reasons for voting, and will strive to keep those values alive and at the forefront of our politics.

I have been very slow at writing blog posts so far this year, for this I blame the unenviable task of looking for a job! I graduated officially in February of this year but have been searching for a job since October! I just can’t believe it!!
Now i’m not saying I am super amazing and I should have been snapped up straight away. What I am saying is that I have worked really hard to get the qualifications I have, and right now I am not using any of them. I know many of us are frustrated with this and this blog post isn’t really an answer but just a little note to say, I know what you mean! So here we go…

THINGS I FIND MYSELF SAYING AS I ENDLESSLY SEARCH FOR A JOB

No I can not work full time unpaid for six months, I have rent and food to pay for.

No I do not have 3-4 years experience in a similar job role. I have been finishing my qualifications which you also require!

Why is the salary dependant on experience only, what about the knowledge and skills I have been painstakingly learning for the last 4 years!

Why when the only filter I put on a job search is my location am I told ‘We don’t have anything that meets your criteria”

Why didn’t I just do web design!?!

No I will not take this unpaid photography job so I can ‘add it to my portfolio’.

If I don’t have experience I can’t get a job if I don’t have a job I can’t get experience…. hmmmm.

Now I really don’t like to be negative, but when you’re looking for a job these things can really get to you. Rather than this being a cross moany post, its more just so other people in this situation know they are not alone!

I was given this amazing camera as a gift this October and have been having so much fun with it, much to the annoyance of those around me who have become my subject matter!

It is an Piano Black Instax mini 5OS, where my other polaroid cameras have a retro charm in the bulky chunkiness this one is definitely their elegant cousin!
It uses Fuji Instax mini film so it has been lovely to be making tiny work again.
If you take a look at my old work you will see I have used it before but in a very different way!

The camera is not only a beautiful piece equipment, but is so easy to use and does what you tell it to.The film, though expensive in the fancy pants lomography shops, is actually not that bad when you buy in bulk from ebay. It works out about 44p a print.
Some people do struggle with the viewfinder as it doesn’t directly show you what you get, this is easy to get used to and a truly wonderful bit of machinery to make art with.

The thing I love most is that it doesn’t allow for excuses, it is so simple and easy to use that there is no reasons in the world that can stop you photographing!